Aces return to Summerside

Fourth meeting of season vs. Capitals

The St. Stephen Aces are returning to Summerside.

The Aces will meet the Summerside D. Alex MacDonald Ford Western Capitals in MHL (Maritime Junior Hockey League) action at Eastlink Arena on Thursday. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m.

It will mark the Aces’ second trip to Summerside in two weeks, and it will be the fourth regularseason meeting overall between the two teams. The Caps lead the season series 2-1 on the strength of a 6-2 win in St. Stephen, N.B., on Oct. 12 and a 2-1 decision in Summerside on Oct. 18. The Aces, who received a 40-save effort from goaltender Joey May in last week’s contest, won the first meeting between the teams on home ice 9-6 on Sept. 21. The Caps sit atop the Eastlink North Division standings at 103-0 (won-lost-overtime losses), and currently hold a five-point lead over the Campbellton Tigers (7-4-0) and Edmundston Blizzard (7-6-1). The Aces and Miramichi Timberwolves are tied for fourth in the division at 6-6-1, seven points behind the Caps.

The Capitals, who had an eight-game winning streak snapped with a 5-4 road loss to Edmundston on Saturday night, bounced back to post a 7-4 win over the Grand Falls Rapids on Sunday. Grand Falls is the former Woodstock Slammers’ franchise, and will make its first trip to Summerside this season for a 7 p.m. contest Saturday.

Goals

The Capitals continue to put up impressive offensive numbers with a league-high 65 goals scored in 13 regular-season games. The league-leading Yarmouth Mariners (11-2-0) are next with 57 goals scored.

Three of the league’s top four point-getters are Western Capitals. Team captain TJ Shea, who has six multi-goal games, sits atop the scoring race with 35 points – 13 goals and 16 assists. Shea’s linemate, Brodie MacArthur, is second with 26 points – eight goals and 18 assists. The Caps’ Kallum Muirhead has 11 goals and 10 assists for 21 points to sit fourth.

The Caps are sixth overall in goals-against. Summerside has given up 39 goals in 13 games. Yarmouth has given up a leaguelow 31 goals in 14 contests. The Caps will be without steady defenceman Brodie MacMillan, who was injured in the Edmundston game.

JASON SIMMONDS/JOURNAL PIONEER St. Stephen Aces goaltender Joey May makes one of his 40 saves in a 2-1 loss to the Summerside Western Capitals at Eastlink Arena in the MHL (Maritime Junior Hockey League) on Oct. 18. Caps forward Kallum Muirhead and the Aces’ Noah Holm, 3, battle for the puck. St. Stephen’s Sam McGaw defends the Caps’ Brodie MacArthur while the Nick French is there to help his Aces’ teammates.